In this presentation I go through the lessons learned from building Windows 8 Store apps. I will walk through some Windows 8 basics, go into the MVVM framework and why I chose MVVM/XAML/C#. Next I will talk about page state and persisting data. Then I will show how to use data templates and styling with MVVM and XAML. Last I'll also talk about publishing my application to the App Store.

1. Lessons Learned from Building Windows 8 Store
Apps with MVVM and XAML
Mike Douglas
mikedouglas@Deliveron.com
@mikedouglasdev

2. AGENDA
• Background
• Why XAML/C#/MVVM?
• Lessons Learned
• What’s Next?

3. ABOUT MIKE DOUGLAS
• Solution Consultant for Deliveron
Consulting Services
• Microsoft Visual Studio ALM MVP
• Microsoft External Rangers – Visual Studio
ALM
• HDC, KCDC, OTSUG Presentations
• Team Deploy – TeamDeploy.CodePlex.com
• Blog - CodeSmartNotHard.com
• Email – mikedouglas **at**
deliveron.com
• Twitter - @mikedouglasdev

4. ABOUT DELIVERON
• Project based, technology
consulting
• Areas of Expertise:
– SharePoint
– BizTalk
– Business Intelligence
– .NET Development
– ALM Training and Consulting
• Deliveron Jumpstarts
• Newsletters & Webcasts
• www.Deliveron.com

5. BACKGROUND
• The Challenge
• TFS Agile Poker (www.tfsagilepoker.com)
– MVVM, XAML, WinRT, Async/Await, OData/RES
T, Azure Mobile Services.
• ALM Readiness TreasureMap
– Open source app for managing ALM
Ranger’s guidance and tools
– http://tinyurl.com/almtreasuremap

6. WHY XAML/C#/MVVM?
• XAML/C# vs HTML5/JavaScript
– Matching feature sets
– Originally thought I was going to use HTML5/JavaScript
– XAML/C# - Databinding and new features
– XAML is only way to get cross platform between
• Win8
• WP
• MVVM Cross and Xamarin
– IOS
– Android

7. LESSONS LEARNED
• Design
• Development
• Testing
• Deployment to the Windows Store

8. LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN

9. LESSONS LEARNED - DESIGN
• Storyboarding
– Create wireframe and visualize design
• Frameworks
– Roll your own
– Utilize Existing
• IOC support
• Flyout support
• View to ViewModel auto wiring
• Examples
– MvvmLight
– Prism

10. LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT
• Async / Await
– No UI blocking threads
Method Signature Example Usage
Async Void private async void OnSubmitPointsCommand() Asynchronous Event
Handlers only
Potentially await-able
Async Task public async Task CloseSessionAsync(string
session)
Use when returning void
Async Task<T> public async Task<Session> CreateSessionAsync() Use when having a return
value
Await
SomeMethodAsync
CurrentChannel =
await
PushNotificationChannelManager.CreatePushNot
ificationChannelForApplicationAsync();
Used to create asynchronous
method and doesn’t block UI
thread

11. LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT
• Persisting Data
– Scenarios
• Session State
• Local or Roaming Settings
– Default Serialization
• Painful, requires KnownTypes definitions, DataMember attributes
– JSON
string serializedSettings =
Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObject(appSettings);
applicationSettings =
Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<ApplicationSetting>(serializedSe
ttings);
– Roaming Settings
Windows.Storage.ApplicationData.Current.RoamingSettings.Values["ApplicationS
ettings"] = serializedSettings;

12. LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT
• Styling and Data Templates

13. LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT
• DataBinding
– Properties support 2 way binding
– Converters
• Boolean To Visibility

14. LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT
• Commanding

15. LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT
• Behaviors
– Only buttons have a Command property
– Attached Properties extend object with Command

16. LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT
• Simulating Suspending and Terminating from VS

17. LESSONS LEARNED - DEVELOPMENT
• Team Agile Poker Demo

18. LESSONS LEARNED - TESTING

19. LESSONS LEARNED - TESTING
• Dependency Injection / IOC
– Recently released frameworks for PCL
• Unity
• Ninject
• Coded UI Testing support in Windows 8.1 / VS 2013
– Extensive gesture support
• Microsoft Test Manager
– Execute test cases against device
– Log and capture error information for bugs

20. LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE

21. LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE
• Windows App Certification Kit

22. LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE
• Gracefully handle common scenarios
– Unhandled Exceptions -> NO CRASHES!
– Midstream Network Loss and no network connectivity
– Snapped Views
– Adaptive to support multiple resolutions (1366 x 768, 1920
x 1080)

23. LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE
• Don’t make your company name / app name too long
– Error Found: The performance launch test collected the following
results:.
• The Native Image Generator failed due to long file path for file
C:Program
FilesWindowsAppsDeliveronConsultingServic.TeamPlanningPok
er_1.0.0.1_neutral__s9dp6hmz44fsaMicrosoft.Data.Services.Clie
nt.WindowsStore.dll
• The Native Image Generator failed due to long file path for file
C:Program
FilesWindowsAppsDeliveronConsultingServic.TeamPlanningPok
er_1.0.0.1_neutral__s9dp6hmz44fsaMicrosoft.WindowsAzure.Mo
bileServices.Managed.dll
– To Skip NGEN
• Add nongen.txt file to root folder of project.

24. LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE
• Privacy Policy
– Must have privacy policy if accessing any external
resources and storing any data.
http://www.privacychoice.org

25. LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE
• When submitting
– Tester Notes
• Assume it is one of your grandparents is doing the
review.
• Assume no domain knowledge
– Some markets have restrictions
• Had to change rating to 12+ (email)
• Some countries require an official game rating

26. LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE
• How to create all of the
required image sizes?
– PerfecTile for Windows 8
– http://nirm.it/PerfecTile/

27. LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE
• App Certification Demo

28. LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS STORE

29. LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS 8.1

30. LESSONS LEARNED – WINDOWS 8.1
• Windows 8.1
– Currently in preview, released as free update in Windows
Store on 10/17
– No more snapped views, can adjust to any size
– Windows 8.0 apps will work on Windows 8.1
– Windows 8.1 apps will not work on Windows 8.0

31. WHAT’S NEXT?
• Windows 8.1 Version
• New Features
• Cross Platform with Xamarin (IOS, Android, WP8)
• Web version
• Writing TFS book

32. RESOURCES
• Xamarin and MvvmCross
– http://xamarin.com/evolve/2013#session-dnoeeoarfj
• Prism for Windows 8
– http://prismwindowsruntime.codeplex.com/
• PerfecTile
– http://nirm.it/PerfecTile/
• CUIT Gestures in VS 2013
– http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudioalm/archive/2013/08/17/coded-ui-test-gesture-
support-in-visual-studio-2013.aspx
• The Tablet Show – Getting apps into the Store
– http://thetabletshow.com/?ShowNum=70
• Pluralsight Courses
– http://www.pluralsight.com/training/Courses/TableOfContents/windows8-hands-on
– http://www.pluralsight.com/training/Courses/TableOfContents/win8mvvm
• Free Online Privacy Policy tool
– http://www.privacychoice.org

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